Lint filter for washing machine



June 7, 1960 Filed Dec. 5, 1956 H. M. SNYDER ETAL LINT FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l ZNVENTORS Harold M. Snyder Robert E Neldharf- Their Aftorney June 7, 1960 Filed Dec. 5, 1956 H. M. SNYDER ETAL LINT FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Harold M. Snyder Robert F Neldharr Their Attorney June 7, 1960 H. M. SNYDER T 2,939,305

* ed Dec. 5, 1956 INVENTORS Harold M. Snyder Robert F. Neidhart Their Aflorney 5 K we LINT FILTER FOR WASHING MACHINE Harold M. Snyder and Robert FJNeidhart, Springfield,

Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, trolt, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 5, 1956,-Ser. No. 626,401

6 Claims. (Cl. 68--18) invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to a lint filtering arrangement for a clothes washing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a washing machine with a lintfiltering system wherein the washing liquid usedin washing clothes is circulated'through a filtering element, and where the lint collected by the filtering element during the washing operation :is spun ofifrom the filtering element and disposed of when the tub of'the-machine is spun at high speed.

Another object is to provide the tub of aWaShihgmachine with a lint filter element that isremovably secured to awall of thetub and wherein washing liquid is circulated downwardly through the filter element.

Still another object is to provide "a lint filter system wherein washing liquid in the tub of'the machine is impell'e'd through a filter member by'movement of the agitator of the machine.

-A- further object is to provide a lint-filtering element that is'fo'rmedof closely spaced'tines j'oined to a common base.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein "a preferred form erms present invention is clearly shown,

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front view with parts broken away of 'a washing machine provided with the lint filtering arrangement of this invention;

Figure 2 is 'an enlarged vertical sectional view showing a fragment of the tub shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of a modified tub construction'employing the lint filtering arrangement of invention;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along -l.ine-4'--4 of Figure 2; V

Figure 5 is a-sectional View taken-along line 5-5 of Figure '2;

Figure dis asectional view taken along-line -6'6 of F-igureB;

Figure 7'is a-perspective view of a lint filter member made in accordance with this invention;

Figure 8 is a sectional view takenalong line 8- 8 of Figure7; and

wFigure'Q is a sectional view-taken along line 9-9 of Figure 7.

:Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 a washing machine generally denoted byref- 'e'rence numeral'll is shown and includes an outer cabinet 1 2 enclosing a tub 14. The tub 14 is imperforate exceptfor a'plurality of closelyspaced apertures 16 1ocated'circumferentially of the tub 14 and'extend-ing entirely around the tub in a well known manner. The apertures 16 provide an outlet passage for water leav- ,ing the tub i l-when the tub is spun at high speed. A vertically reciprocable agitator 18 .is disposed within the tub '14 and is vertically reciprocated in a conventional ice '2 manner by an electric motor not shown. The agitator 18 and tub 14 are connected with the electric motor through suitable gearing notshown. This connection is preferably of the type disclosed in the patent to Clark 2,366,236. As :shown in this patent the agitator 18 is vertically reciprocated during the washing cycle of the washing'machine, while the tub '14 is rotated at high speed during thespindry'period 'of the Washing machine. The washing machine may also be provided with suitable water control means for controlling the flow of water into the 'Itub and with suitable pump means for pumping water out of zthe outer cabinet 12 after the'water has been spun out of the .tub 14'into thecabinet 12. 'The "water control :means "and the pumping means are .not shown and maybe :as shown and described in the above men- "tionedrClark :pat'ent. It will thus be apparent that the agitator :ltl-is vertically reciprocated during the washing cycle tof'athe-washing machine and that the water is spun out 'ofctub :142throughapertures 16 during the spin dry cycle of'the Washingmachiner .vided with internal grooves v22'tl1at engage spring clip members '24 secured to thezinuer wall -of tub 14. The spring clip :mernbers ltpreferably snap in to the grooves .22in1order :to nightly *hold'the filter boxes 20 against the inner =wallrof t1ib r14. The lint Jfilter Ibox 20 'has "a lower .grooved portion 26 interfi-ts with the top edge of lowersinwardly"bent portions.ifiof the tub :14. The portions 28 of'othe tubrare inwardly bent-as more particularly shown'in -Figure'4 andwfo'rm fluid conducting passages 30 with sheet metal rmembers :32'that are welded or otherwisetsecured to "thetub 14. The passages 30 as shown in "Figure 1 connect thelower open ends of'the filter Eboxes -20with 'the area immediately below the'lower end of "agitator :13. During vertical f reciprocation of agitator 18, Washing liquid is pulled downwardly through filter boxes '20,:thnoughspassages350, and back'to the tub as is more-particularly setforth hereinafter.

An alternative "arrangement for connecting the filter box infiuidfiowrela-tionship with the under side ofthe agitator '18 is-showniin Figure 3. ln this figure the lower wall of thetub denoted by -reference numeral 34 is not bent inwardly. A sheet metal channel member 36 is welded or otherwise secured to the tub 14'and forms a passage 38 connecting the :bottom of the filter box 20 with the areaimmediately below'th'e agitator 18. In this wmodificationshownin Figure 3, the lowerwall or the tub'isxfiat as contrasted to the structure of Figure 2 wherein the lowerend o'f'the tub is bent inwardly at '28.

The lint filter box 26 of this invention as more particularlyshown in Figure 7 has a lower open end 41 and a wall 40 bounded'by an upper wall 42, a pair of side walls 4'4 and 46, and a lower wall 48. The front wall 40 is provided with passages 50 while the side wall 46 isprovided with a passage 52 that extends very nearly the entire length of the filter box. The side wall44 is provided with a passage 54 that is shorter in length'than passage 52. A comb-like filter element generally denoted by reference numeralsfi is secured to the wall 40 and extends between-walls 44 and 46. Thefilter element comprises 'a base portion '58'that supports-a plurality of closely spaced tines 60. The tines 60 are located in'the same plane and the filterwelement is tilted iupwardly as more particularly shown in Figurestl, 2 and 3. The filter element 56 ---is preferably made' of metal or 1 of a or plastic'materiali H 'i t @In operation'verticalreciprocation of agitator 18 circulatestthet water inta manner indicated; by the arrows on the left, side of the agitator 18 in Figure 1 when the tub has been filleduwith washing liquidtoa point above the passages 50 on filter. box 20 prior to the beginning of ,the washing or agitating operation. This verticalvreciprocation produces anegative'press'ure beneath the agitator 18*at'points 61 which coincide with, the .open ends of passages 30. 7 With negative pressure at points 61 washing liquid ;is pulled downwardly into the filtervbox .20 through passages 50, and through passages .52' and 54. The liquid moves idownwardlyl through the filter boxes 20, thioughthe filter elements 56, through the lower open ends; of; the filter boxes, and thence .throughtthe passages 30 to the points 61 beneath the agitator where the water 'finds its way back :into the tub adjacent the agitator ,18. 'Thistdownward circulation of water through the filter element 56 and'back to the tub via passages 30 continues as long as the agitator 18 is vertically reciprocated, Any lint contained in the water being circu-' lated is caughtuby the tines 60 of the filter element 56,

the tines acting as a. very eflicient filter for lint particles. The circulation of water during the spin dry period when the tub 14 is rotated at a-high speed is, depicted by the 1 arrows at the right side of agitatorlS in Figure 1. When the tub, 14 is spun at high speed, the lint particles tend togmove upwardly away from the filter element 56' and are aided in this movement by washing fluid moving upwardly through passage 30 and by washing fluid moving from the tub 14 upwardly through the passages 50, and 52.- The water being spun out of the tub thus eflectively cleans the linttofi' from the filter element 56 and parriest'the lint outwardly through the apertures 16 that communicate with the interiors of lint boxes 20. The lint and ,water extracted from the tub fall into the lower end of cabinet 12and are pumped out of the cabinet-by suitable pumping means not shown. a

As noted ,hereinbefore the passage 52 is made longer than the passage 54. Moreoventthe lint filter box 20 is attached to the tub 14 with the passage 52 facing in the direction of rotation of the tub 14 when the tub is spun at high speed during the spin dry cycle of operation. Thepassagegsdis' made shorter'in order that washing liquid rushingthrough passage 52,, as the tub is spun,

' will not carry the lint outwardly. through the passage 54 and back into the tub. Thus the water passing through passage 52 and'upwardly through the filter element 56 from the passage always moves upwardly and outwai'dly so that lint is not carried back into the tub through passages 50 or 54. The provision of a filter element'56 formed of closely spaced tines 60 is an important factor in the operation of the lint filtering system. The lint particles have a tendency to collect on the top of: the tines 60 rather than between the tines and'thus the lint is easily washed off of the tines when the tub 14' is rotated at high speed. Moreover the lint particles themselves have a tendency to move of their own accord when the tub is spun at high speed due to thefact that they. do, not adhere'to the tines 60. In the .event allof the lint is not removed from tines 60 duringthe spin dry operation, the filter boxes, 20 may be removed by grasping thesame. The lint may then be cleaned therefrom and the box once more attached to the tub by en'- gageme'nt of the ends of spring clips 24 in the grooves 22. While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be tmderstood that other forms might be adopted, as may come, within the scope of the claims which follow.

.o What is claimed is as follows:

51; A washing machine having asingle wall tub adapted tolcontain liquid, said tub having an imperforate bottom,

a vertically reciprocable agitator within said tub, means forming a conduit extending between a point on the inner wall of said tub to a point underlying the agitator, said conduit being, open at both ends adjacent said points, and a filter box having an upper opening and a lower open end removably attached to the inner wall of said tub with said lower openend communicating with the open end of said conduitat the point on the inner wall of said tub, a lint filtering element in said filter boxtdisposed above the lower open end of the filter box, passage means on said filter box connecting the area immediately above said filter element with said tub, and means for vertically reciprocating said agitator, said vertical reciprocation producing atsequential flow of washing liquid through said upper opening of said filtering box, said filter and said lower open end.

2. A lint filtering system for a washing machine having acylindrical single wall tub withan imperforate bottom-andan agitator in said tub comprising, a filter element housing attached to the inside of said tub and enclosing closely spaced tines, said housing having an upper and alower opening, means for actuating said agitator for circulating washing liquid within said tub into'said upper opening, downwardly through said tines, and out of'said lower opening during the agitation cycle of said machine whereby lint is collected on said tines, and means for centrifuging the lint from said tines subsequently'to said agitation cycle.

3. A washing machine having a tub adapted to contain liquid, an agitator in saidytub, a generally rectangular filter box within said tubhaving an open side secured to an inner wall of said tub with the open side facing said inner wall, said box having an upper and lower openinglfacing into said tub, a filtering element between said upper and lower openings extending between laterally spaced walls of said filter box, and means including said agitator for circulating washing liquid sequentially from said tub'into said box through said upper opening, downwardly through said filtering element and back to I saidtub through said lower, opening.

7 of said tub with the open side facing said wall, said box havingran upper and lower opening, a filtering element in said filter box extending between laterallytspaced filter box walls and having a firstledge abutting a rear filter box wall located opposite from said openside, said filtering element havingta second edge tilted upwardly from the horizontal to form a lint collecting pocket with said rear filter box wall, and agitator means for circulating a washing liquid from said tub into said box through said upper openingdownwardly through said filtering element and back to said tub through said lower opening.

5. A washing machine having a single wall tub with an imperforate bottom and an upwardly extending :generally cylindrical side wall and adapted to contain liquid, 'a vertically reciprocable agitator in, said tub, a filter housing attached to said tub side wall, said housing having a rear wall facing radially inwardly into said tub and formed with an inlet opening in an upper portion thereof, a housing bottom wall formed with an outletopening therein, a first housing side wall with a first slot therein, and a second housing side wall with a second slot smaller than said first slot, a conduit within said tub connecting saidbottom wall opening to the underside of said agitator, afilter element of spaced tines between said housing side walls angularly attached at one end tosaid rear wall and at the other end spaced from said tub side wall, said element forming with said rearrwall a collecting pocket, and means for vertically reciprocating said agitator to circulate saidliquid sequentially through said inlet opening-said filter'element, said outlet opening and said conduit to trap foreign matter on said tines and for rotating said'tub to circulate said liquid sequentially through said conduit, said outlet opening and said filter element to remove said foreign matter from said tub.

6. A washing machine having a single wall tub with an imperforate bottom and an upwardly extending side wall and adapted to contain liquid, a vertically reciprocable agitator in said tub, a filter housing attached to said tub side wall, said housing having a rear wall facing radially inwardly into said tub and formed with an inlet opening in an upper portion thereof and a housing bottom wall formed with an outlet opening therein, a conduit connecting said bottom wall opening to the underside of said agitator, a filter element angularly attached at one end to said rear wall and at the other end spaced from said tub side wall, said element forming with said rear wall a collecting pocket, and means for vertically reciproeating said agitator to circulate said liquid sequentially through said inlet openings, said filter element, said outlet opening and said conduit to trap foreign matter on said tines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,383 Willard Aug. 1, 1905 1,910,803 Leonard May 23, 1933 1,912,020 Steindorf May 30, 1933 1,925,462 Rosenbaum Sept. 5,193 2,287,628 McMahan June 23, 1942 2,298,096 Dunham Oct. 6, 1942 2,421,242 Clark May 27, 1947 2,481,979 Colley Sept. 13, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 30,328 Great Britain of 1909 

